Canadians Skeptical of Climate Change Policies, Concerned About Added Financial Burdens: Report

A motorist fuels up at a gas station in Vancouver on Oct. 1, 2022. The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

Canadians who took part in a federal focus-group research study were skeptical about the government’s climate change policies, saying they would add financial burdens to households but do little to reduce emissions.

“It was felt that many federal actions such as the introduction of a federal price on carbon had placed too much of a financial burden on the individual and that not enough focus was being devoted to reducing the emissions of large businesses and corporations,” said the resulting report, titled “Continuous Qualitative Data Collection Of Canadians’ Views.”

The report was conducted by the Strategic Counsel and commissioned by the Privy Council Office under a $2.4 million contract. It is the 11th publication of a series of studies that review a range of national issues and policies related to the federal government. The findings of the study were first reported by Blacklock’s Reporter.

The participants were asked how they feel about a number of climate change measures introduced by the government, which include federal carbon pollution pricing, a greenhouse gas reduction target aimed at meeting the Paris Agreement, and a national adaptation strategy, among others.

“Many expressed skepticism as to whether these actions would be achievable in the near future,”the report said.

“A number of participants questioned whether it was realistically possible to meet those measures which had fast-approaching deadlines such as the 2030 targets related to Canada’s commitments to the Paris Climate Agreement as well as the priorities put forward in the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan.”

Moreover, the participants said the government had “worsened in its handling of climate change and environmental issues as of late.”

The government’s carbon pollution pricing system includes a regulatory charge on fossil fuels like gasoline and natural gas. The current fuel charge rates for gasoline is 14 cents per litre in the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. It is set to gradually increase to 37 cents per litre by 2030.

Participants’ responses in the Privy Council report, published October 2022, echo that of a 2019 focus group report, in which Canadians also expressed mixed feelings about the efficiency of the carbon tax on addressing climate change.

In terms of its affect on the environment, “most participants believe the approach will have little impact because Canada is not a large polluter,” while some participants felt that the proposed system could have “a positive impact on the environment” if it is properly implemented.

When asked what impact would carbon tax would have on them personally, most participants believe that it would result in “increases to the cost of living, which will have a financial impact on their household,” with some participants saying that it would prompt them to pay closer attention to their household consumption of energy.

“A few suggested that greater investments could also be made towards increasing public transportation options in Canadian communities, believing these to be somewhat limited outside of major urban centres,” the report said.